Los Angeles Chargers: 3 Most telling stats from 2016
By Derek Snyder
Chargers: Finished 29th In Total Defense
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
There is no team that can consistently be successful without a good defense. Heck, they don’t even have to be great, but they must be able to get off the field and let their talented offense go to work and do their job. That is going to be even more important for the Los Angeles Chargers going forward, thanks to their incredible arsenal of offensive talent this season.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Chargers’ 2016 defense gave up 5,554 total yards. The only teams that finished worse than them in total defense was Cleveland, New Orleans, and San Fransisco.
This Los Angeles defense has far too much talent to let that kind of thing happen again in 2017, especially if Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram have anything to say about it. And that doesn’t even mention the budding secondary led by the likes of Casey Hayward.
Probably the biggest factor to the Chargers having a rebound this season defensively is Gus Bradley. Things might not have worked out in Jacksonville, but let’s be honest, that’s like trying to turn water into wine. That being said, he is in a much better situation out on the west coast, and more likely in his element focusing on the defense solely.